Nassau, Baker residents eligible for FEMA aid

Nassau, Baker residents eligible for FEMA aid

Residents in Nassau and Baker counties who suffered storm damage from Tropical Storm Fay are now eligible for assistance.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency added more counties to its disaster declaration that now includes Duval, Nassau, and Baker in northeast Florida. Individual assistance is now available in 19 Florida counties.

The aid will provide assistance for such things as home repairs and living expenses which can include clothing, medical costs and transportation. The average FEMA grant per home is about $4,000.

Authorities say most of the damage in Nassau County was caused by flooding. The Callahan and Bryceville communities were two of the hardest hit with more than 50 homes inundated with flood waters. Some areas were under five feet of water.

According to a report by Adam Faircloth, director of the Emergency Operation Center, homes along the St. Marys River in Baker County suffered major flood damage and seven were classified as destroyed.

More than half of Florida's counties are eligible for public assistance under the disaster declaration. Under this arrangement, FEMA picks up 75 percent of the tab for storm-related repairs and mitigation to state and local governments and certain types of private, non-profit organizations. Eligible repairs include debris removal, local infrastructure and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities like parks and beaches.